Built Mando Tough

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq stood in a command dome that protruded above the center of the wheel-shaped space station. At parade rest, Larraq gazed out of a glasteel window and into the inky void beyond where a small ship was being towed into docking position with the station. A slight shimmer surrounded the ship as powerful tractor beams dragged the corvette to the appropriate position for solid clamps to be extended around the ship.

Behind him, teams of engineers oversaw numerous construction and refit operations occurring at various points along the station. Twelve such engineers were standing by to assist their employer with a specific project. A priority customer had requested a custom overhauling of her rare and prized Stealth Corvette.

 

[Captain Larraq]

As the Scion-class Corvette came to a halt and the docking clamps locked onto her, Rygel Larraq finally turned from the window and looked towards the rest of his engineers as they gathered around a holoprojector. A mock-up of the ship was hovering between them as they talked quietly amongst themselves. Larraq walked towards the group of Mandal Hypernautics engineers. “How's she look?” He asked his employees as he approached.

One of the engineers pressed a series of buttons on the holoprojector's control console and the outer layer of the ship peeled back to reveal the numerous pipes, capacitors, and reinforcing beams... the 'ribs' of the ship. “Preliminary scans are good. But until we get inside her, we won't be able to give you anything definitive.” The man said.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“Send twenty men with scanners into the ship.” Larraq responded calmly as he studied the projection. “I want every bay, every hallway, and every pipe scanned. Send in teams of DRD's to help scan the air ducts and maintenance ways. Get Engineering Droids to start work analyzing the outer weapons, shield emitters, and sensor bays, as well as whatever else they can find on the hull of that ship.”

Larraq tapped a few keys from the control console and the projection shifted in turn. Layer after layer peeled away until only the rough outline of the ship remained, the hollow passageways and rooms highlighted in yellow in the projection. “We start with the basic structure of the ship. Then we peel her back layer by layer until we know her insides better than our wives.” Larraq said to his men with a serious face. “I want our reactor specialist in the engine compartment within twenty minutes. Electronics and program specialists to the bridge just as quick. I want my best men on this. That's why you're all here.” Larraq said to the engineers assembled around himself. “I have high expectations for each of you.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

The assembled engineers, male and female, smiled and nodded to their employer at the acknowledgement of their skills. “We won't let you down, sir.” Responded one of the younger ones. Rygel Larraq simply nodded at each of them before stepping away from the projector and letting them get started on their work.

Rygel Larraq returned to his place by the window and stared at the ship as his employees began enacting the first stage of the project. Even from his vantage point at the command station, Larraq could see the team of a dozen hovering Engineering Droids as they left the arms of the station and began to move slowly over the surface of the ship. Here and there each of them would pause at a location for a few moments before moving on to the next source of fascination. Sometimes a droid would remain stationary for several minutes as it worked with one component or another.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq was unsure if the droids were simply scanning the hardware as they went or if they were disassembling and reassembling the more complex systems. Either way, the clever little droids would learn all that could be gleaned from the external sections of the ship and do their part to resolve the puzzle that Rave Merrill had placed on his lap. Nodding in satisfaction after several minutes of watching the diligent droids do their work, Larraq turned to a bank of holoprojections to his left.

Displayed on the wall of screens were numerous live images coming from recorder units on helmets, droid optics, and live scanner feeds. Workers were walking through every inch of the ship in pairs of two, scanning as they went. Hallways and maintenance corridors, overhead ducts and crawl spaces were filled with dozens of DRD's as they dragged miniature scanning devices through the ship. Air ducts, filtration systems, water purification tanks and hundreds of thousands of systems and components were scanned, identified, logged, and transmitted back to the primary holoprojector in the space station's command deck.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq turned and looked over his shoulder at the projection that now took up as much space as one of his limos. Component by component, hollow sections of hologram were being filled in by nuts and bolt, wires and cables, myomers and actuators, capacitors and surge protectors. Bit by bit, the mystery of this unique and powerful ship was being unravelled by Larraq's teams of droids and employees.

Soon, it would simply be a matter of understanding the software of the ship. The programs and algorithms that made her run. Her brain and her soul.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Several hours and many cups of coffee later, Rygel Larraq was still on the command deck. Leaning against the holoprojector, Larraq absently picked his mug from the table-sized projector and sipped at the cold liquid within. The scanning process was over 95 percent complete and his engineers had already gathered all relevant data from the computer core and main reactor. His senior engineers were already hard at work identifying key structural supports as they drafted up their initial plans. He left them to it and they knew enough to not timidly seek his approval for every minor detail. He paid them well and he trusted them to meet his expectations.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Another sip drained the remaining coffee from his mug and Larraq reluctantly returned it to the surface of the projection table. Numerous dark rings stained its surface from the drinks he and his engineers had been using to maintain productivity. The display on the table ticked and now read as 98% complete. Rygel Larraq closed his eyes, and slowly rubbed his temples before turning what was left of his attention to the wall of screens to his right.

He could see that the crews of workers had packed up their scanning equipment and were currently marking joints, hallways, power conduits, and other key structural areas as reference points for the work that would begin in just a few short hours. The only parts of the ship that still required scanning were being attended to by numerous DRD units. On the screens, he could see the tiny droids pouring over plasma conduits, electromagnetic containment field generators, and the thousand other regulating components of the drive system.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“How soon can the first draft and review be prepared?” Larraq asked as glanced around in a vain attempt to locate some more coffee.

“It will take us a few hours to review the final schematics.” One of the older engineers responded. “But I think we can have the first draft ready in as little as five hours.” He continued with confidence.

“You have four.” Larraq said flatly. It had already been a long and tiring day and even he could only take so much of the tediousness that went into the drafting and engineering process. “Then I want you all to take a three hour break. This project needs to be completed quickly, but we'll only get one shot at this and it's for one of our most important contacts. What we decide in our next meeting could easily decide the future of this company in the Fringe of the Galaxy.” He said as he looked them each in the eye one by one. “So in seven hours I want each of you rested and ready to present your findings on the ship. We'll review our options and brainstorm on modifications we can make that will blow the customer away.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

The assembled engineers nodded their compliance to their employer and found renewed energy. None of them had expected the grace period between drafting the final schematics and giving their presentation to Mr. Larraq. Their employer was known for his demanding expectations and willingness to push the limits of his men to achieve his goals. Some of them marveled at the significance this project must hold to their employer.

In the meantime, Larraq nodded to his employees and began walking to the exit of the command bridge. He'd been pushing himself harder than any of his employees for the several hours of stage one. If he was to lead the discussions in the next few hours, he'd need to get some rest between now and then. As the elevator doors closed behind him, Larraq sighed and scruffed his own hair. He needed to get to his chambers and take a nap. If he needed to, he could push through it and keep going for several more hours. But he needed his mind to be sharp. So... He'd take a nap.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq woke with a start. The dark of his chambers surrounded him. What little light there was, came from the open window and the stars beyond. Faintly illuminated on the far side of the room was a numerical display telling the time. His body protested, but his mind knew that he must take action.

Reluctantly, his body complied with his demands and he rose from the bed to assume a seated position on its edge. “Lights. On.” He said to the room. The harsh glare of artificial lighting assaulted his eyes in response. His hands held against his face, Larraq groaned quietly before moving from the comfort of the bed.

 

[Captain Larraq]

His uniform for the day hung from the wall locker. Pressed and clean and immaculate. His boots were polished and his flak vest cleaned and ready for use once again. His belt, his pistols, his holsters, his sword and sheath. All were ready and waiting for him, laid out on tables and chairs near the wall locker.

Glancing at his garb, Larraq ignored it as he continued towards the shower that called to him. A quick, warm bath would ease his soul and enervate his bones. A cup of coffee would sooth what remained. His next few actions planned out, Larraq stepped into the shower, removed what remained of his night garb, and let the initial burst of cold water wash over him and shock his senses into alertness.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Several minutes later, Larraq removed himself from the warm, steaming liquid, died himself, and stepped naked towards his awaiting duties. Socks and underwear were first to adorn his flesh. Undershirt and pants came next. His belt looped through the bands of his pants. His flak vest went over the black undershirt. His dress shirt when above this. Pistols were placed in holsters and holsters were strapped to his belt and thighs. The thick, armored jacket of his office adorned his shoulders and pristine leather and beskar boots adorned his feet.

Rygel Larraq stood alone in the glaring artificial lights and looked down at the only remaining piece of adornment. Bending down, Larraq picked up the beskad that his father's father had passed down to him. It was heavy for a sword. Pulling the blade from its sheath, Larraq stared at its beautiful etchings as it reflected the light of the room. To Larraq, it was the symbol of his resolve. It had been entrusted to him by his father upon swearing to protect the family and further their goals. It was heavy for a sword.

Larraq shoved the sword back into its sheath and clasped the weapon to his belt. Armored boots clanged against the floor of the station as he stormed purposefully from the room and into the light of the awaiting hallway. A secretary was already waiting for him, mug, pot, and warm coffee in hand. The room behind him went dark and he slid the door shut behind himself. In twenty minutes, the briefing would begin.

 

[Captain Larraq]

As planned, Larraq had been the first to enter the briefing room. His secretary parted from him with instructions to have coffee prepared and ready for each of his engineers before their arrival and for fresh pots to be prepared and laid out for their use. Larraq's own cup still warmed his fingers as he held it with his left hand and looked upon the briefing room from the entranceway. A large, curved, black desk dominated the interior of the room. The overall shape was roughly oval. Either side of the table could seat twelve men and the flattened ends of the table were each wide enough for two additional occupants.

Larraq looked the table over. Documents had been printed and prepared for each engineer. A file full of statistics, findings, and reference material lay before each chair at the desk. Solid glass touchpads were recessed into the table in front of each chair. Every member of the conference could interact with the digital medium in tandem. Above the table, a holoprojecter descended from the ceiling. The projector was connected to the same computer system as the table and could project the work from any individual console. Similarly, all parties could work on and manipulate the same projection at once. Though, the primary console at the head of the table had override authority.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq looked to his seat. It was at the head of the table on the far side of the room. It faced the entrance and unlike the end of the table on this side of the room, only a single seat was prepared on the far end. Larraq slowly walked towards his place at the table, occasionally sipping at the warm mug of coffee as he went. His eyes wandered along the table as he went. What happened here in the next few hours would dictate the path of future events. The quality of the product he returned to Rave Merrill could easily dictate the future of his company with nearly an entire quadrant of the galaxy.

Setting his cup down at the corner of the table, Larraq took his seat. The lavish leather material comfortably held his weight as he leaned against it. It was made of a soft, but sturdy material. The frame itself felt sturdy. It forced his back forward, making him sit at attention. He could adjust the back of the chair to a more comfortable position, but he liked it this way. It helped him to focus.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq picked up his coffee and began draining it of its remaining contents when the catering staff began entering the room. He watched them from over the lip of the mug as he finished his drink. Trays and small foldable tables were placed throughout the room. Breakfast foods, pastries and drinks ranging from the juice of an orange, squeezed fruit to an arrangement of teas and coffees.

While they busied themselves with their tasks, Larraq focused his attention on reviewing the paper documentation that had been provided for him. His mug of coffee had been refilled and a small tray of fruits, meats, and pastries had been laid out before him. The plate remained mostly ignored by the time the first of his engineers entered the room. Larraq ignored the man and continued to review the documents in his hands. The man took his seat and slowly, one by one, the rest of his engineering team entered the room and took their places.

 

[Captain Larraq]

As the last engineer took his seat, Rygel Larraq closed his folder and lowered it to the desk. The room fell silent and all eyes turned towards him. “Let us begin.” Rygel Larraq said calmly. “Who can tell me about the features of this ship that stand out? I want the innovative and the inadequate. Tell me what we're working with here.”

“The ship comes from Druckenwell Shipyards.” Began a young woman with brown, barely contained hair. She looked as if she had needed to pry herself out of bed with a crowbar to make it to the meeting. “Her primary power source is an antiquated Ionization Reactor, she maneuvers like a drunk duck, and she has a massive cargo capacity for a military vessel.”

“It's an impressive capacity, but it actually threatens the structural integrity of the aft half of the ship.” Began a wide man with a thick mustache. “I suggest to cut back on the cargo bay and reinforce the entire area.”

 

[Captain Larraq]

“Hold those comments.” Larraq said to the man calmly. “I want a synopsis of its current condition and capabilities before we get too carried away with potential modifications. Mam, can you elaborate on what makes the reactor insufficient?”

The young engineer with the messy brown hair looked startled for a moment before she collected herself enough the answer. “It's old sir. Several models behind the most recent designs. And while Ionization Reactors are known for their reliability, they are hardly the most efficient designs out there. Quite simply, a more modern Antimatter Reactor could provide twice the power and would require minimal modifications to the existing reactor housing.”

Larraq mused over this for a moment before he nodded. “Noted. Get started on the specifics for me. What model reactor are we looking at and the exact process that would take place to remove the existing reactor and install the replacement. Now. Someone tell me something else about this ship.” Larraq said as he looked into the eyes of his employees.

 

[Captain Larraq]

“Well...” Began a young man with short, scruffy hair. “The ship's got an impressive Adegan Cloaking system. It's not quite as efficient as a Stygium Cloak, but she seems built from the ground up to make use of it. It's paired up nicely with a pretty effective Thrust Trace Damper system in the Drive Unit. The specs you gave us say that we'll need to find room for a Gravitic Modulator. So... Synching those three systems will be a bit of a challenge. Getting the new system to work in tandem with the other two will take some careful calibrations and some impressive programming. It might be easier to just gut the existing electronics and install our own to run the stealth systems.”

“We'll keep that in mind.” Larraq said as he nodded at the young engineer. “Who's next?”

 

[Captain Larraq]

A tall woman with neat hair, a clean-pressed uniform, and glasses cleared her throat for attention before speaking. “Scans and slicing of the command deck revealed what he had suspected from external scans. The life support is barely adequate, the shielding system is mundane, and the sensors are barely acceptable. Targeting and navigation are closer to our standards, but the ship's only impressive attributes revolve around her camouflage capabilities.”

“That's not quite true.” Began a man with red hair tied back into a ponytail. “The ship is armed to the teeth. It's actually quite impressive for her size. She's got nearly half the armament of a frigate and about twice what our own Corvettes can field. It might have something to do with her sub-standard speed and maneuverability, but it looks like most of the reactor's output goes directly to the weapons when the cloak is offline.”